If you’ve started dabbling in marketing, you’ve probably heard about organic marketing and paid marketing. And if you’re not sure what they mean, don’t worry: you’re definitely not alone. The simple answer is that organic marketing focuses on attracting traffic for free while paid marketing is, well, paid.
Neither is superior to the other and will simply depend on what your company’s online presence is like, what your goals are, and the budget you have for your marketing efforts. Regardless, in this article, we’ll provide an outline of both so you can better understand what makes them unique and see which better fits your skill set and career goals.
What is Paid Marketing?
The name is quite explanatory; paid marketing uses paid services to promote their products or services, typically for a specific campaign instead of general brand awareness. The exact cost will depend on the campaign itself and the medium, but paid marketing actions do have a few advantages over free and organic campaigns:
Paid marketing actions bring your content directly to your target audience, without having to wait for them to discover you organically.
Paid ads typically appear at the top of search engine results or websites, improving the chances of brand recognition.
Because paid advertising is directed specifically to your target audience, you can expect faster results.
Within paid marketing, there are various ways to set up your campaigns. The exact strategy that’s perfect for you will depend on your project, but familiarity with the following will help you pick the right choice:
Display ads: used typically for generic advertisements to increase brand awareness, display ads appear on websites.
Pay-per-click advertising (PPC): PPC ads are one of the most common uses of paid marketing to drive traffic or generate leads; the company only pays when someone clicks on their ad.
Social media ads: another popular type of paid marketing is ads on social media.
Influencer marketing: companies can reach new audiences through influencer marketing, when known social media personalities promote their products.
What is Organic Marketing?
Instead of paying for specific campaigns like paid marketing does, organic marketing takes a more long-term gains approach to marketing, aiming to build brand awareness and reputation through ‘free’ channels of organic marketing, such as SEO optimization, blog posts, guest involvement, email marketing, and social media marketing. Organic marketing is a popular technique in marketing because:
It improves brand visibility and credibility through consistently delivering valuable and informative content that continually reaches new audiences.
It creates a community through engaging with users and responding to their concerns.
It improves search engine rankings as content is updated and optimized according to SEO guidelines.
Just like paid marketing, there are quite a few avenues within organic marketing where marketers can promote their brand:
SEO optimization: we’re sure you’ve heard of SEO and that’s because optimizing content and keywords to rank high on search engines is an essential part of organic marketing.
Blog posts: blogs are incredibly effective ways to attract traffic to your website and through the creation of evergreen content, or content that’s always going to be valuable to users, you can drive long term traffic to your website.
Guest involvement: inviting known names and experts in your industry to write posts, host events, or promote your content in exchange for exposure is a great way to both introduce new users to your company and improve brand reputation.
Email marketing: email marketing is a fantastic way to maintain regular contact with your audience; using newsletters and regular email marketing emails to share updates, promotions, or new products helps nurture connections with your users.
Social media marketing: posting on social media is free and for companies that want to reach new audiences and create a sense of community, social media is a fantastic option.
Paid vs. Organic Marketing
Now that you understand what each offers, it’s time to answer the main question: is paid or organic marketing better? Well, unfortunately, we don’t have a definitive answer. As we hope we’ve made clear throughout this post, the best option for you depends on your needs, but to help you get a better idea, check out these Q&As:
I want to see quick results from my marketing campaigns. Is paid or organic marketing better?
For quick results, it’s definitely better to bet on paid ads that you can create specifically for one purpose. Make sure you research exactly what kinds of ads are the most effective for the medium on which you want to advertise to give yourself the best chance of positive results.
Keep in mind, however, that this may not help any long-term goals you have of improving brand recognition.
I want to improve my brand’s recognition and reputation in the industry. Is paid or organic marketing better?
For long-term results and an improvement in brand recognition and reputation, choosing organic methods will better position you for success. This will require a consistent dedication to content marketing, email marketing, and SEO optimization to ensure your brand continues to provide value over time.
Can I combine paid and organic marketing?
Of course, and for the majority of companies, finding the sweet spot between organic and paid marketing is the best choice. Review your company’s priorities and goals, choosing the combination that best meets your needs.
In the end, neither paid nor organic marketing is inherently better—it all depends on your business objectives. If you need immediate visibility and fast results, paid marketing can deliver quick wins. On the other hand, if you're focused on building a strong brand reputation and long-term relationships with your audience, organic marketing is the way to go. For most businesses, a strategic combination of both will yield the best outcomes, offering the advantages of both immediate traction and sustained growth over time.
About the Author:
Juliette Carreiro is a tech writer, with two years of experience writing in-depth articles for Ironhack. Covering everything from career advice and navigating the job ladder, to the future impact of AI in the global tech space, Juliette is the go-to for Ironhack’s community of aspiring tech professionals.
